Michelle Nunn Meets With Georgia Farm Bureau, Highlights How Perdue Would Have Blocked Their Top Priority

Press Release

Today, Michelle Nunn, former CEO of the Points of Light Foundation and candidate for U.S. Senate, met with the Georgia Farm Bureau to discuss the importance of agriculture to Georgia's economy. Nunn contrasted her support for the Farm Bill with Perdue's opposition, saying how it showed David Perdue would be part of the problem Georgia voters see in Washington.

"David Perdue may be a fresh face, but he's proven that he would bring the same 'my way or the highway' approach that Georgians are sick of seeing in Washington. His opposition to the bipartisan Farm Bill -- the top priority of Georgia farmers -- is a great example of that," said Nunn. "Instead of siding with Senator Chambliss and Georgia's farmers in supporting the compromise, Perdue said he would have blocked the bill -- hurting Georgia farmers who have been denied certainty from Washington for far too long."

The bipartisan Farm Bill received the backing of Georgia's senior political leadership, including Senators Chambliss and Isakson, as well as the American Farm Bureau and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Despite this, David Perdue has repeatedly expressed his opposition to Georgia farmer's #1 priority.

Senator Chambliss said, "I believe this legislation is vitally important to the farmers, ranchers and consumers of Georgia, as well as those across this great nation, and there is no single piece of legislation that impacts as many people in my state as this one."

Perdue's lack of support for the Farm Bill would have hurt Georgia's families and damaged our economy. Experts warned that if the bill hadn't passed, food prices for individuals would have soared, and Georgia Agricultural Commissioner Gary Black similarly predicted major consequences saying: "If this one expires, we would go back to the 1949 law which, quite frankly, with the cost escalators involved in that, this country could not afford."

Congress' failure to pass The Farm Bill would have hurt Georgia families and farmers:

If The Farm Bill Hadn't Passed Or Been Extended, The USDA Would Have Had To Revert To The 1949 Law, Increasing Food Prices. "Because reverting to permanent law would re-introduce a radically different farm program, one with much higher support prices (through nonrecourse loans instead of payments) that would require much smaller crop production and much higher consumer prices." [Washington Post, 6/28/2013]

Milk Prices, In Particular Would Soar. "Among the worst impacts under this scenario, Vilsack said milk prices would skyrocket under the 1949 law. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition estimated in a report last year that the cost would double compared to market prices at the time." [Washington Post, 6/28/2013]

Without Farm Bill Passage, Georgia Sugar And Peanut Farmers Would No Longer Have Mandatory Coverage. "Reverting to the 1949 law would also leave out any mandatory coverage for soybeans and other oilseeds as well as peanuts and sugar." [National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition,9/28/12]

Georgia Farmers Produce Half The Nations Peanuts And The Peanut Industry Contributes $2 Billion To Georgia's Economy. "In 2012, Georgia farmers produced more than half of the U.S. peanut crop, up from 45 percent." "At the farm level, peanuts are worth just under a half-billion dollars. By the time that moves through the economy, the value exceeds $2 billion to our state." [AJC, 2/19/2014]

If The Farm Bill Had Expired, Land Grant Universities Like the University Of Georgia And Fort Valley State Would Have Lost Some Funding For Research. "The secretary said allowing the existing farm bill to expire would mean less support for research at land-grant universities" [Washington Post, 6/28/2013]

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black Warned That Failing To Pass The Farm Bill Would Have Serious Consequences For Georgia And Georgia Universities."Without a farm bill we have serious consequences at our institution of higher learning and other consumer protection areas. It would ultimately slash federal Ag science funding to schools like ABAC and UGA's Tifton campus. Money in the bill also funds meat inspection."

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